ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. rule — government
  6. deal — to handle
  7. drill — army training
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pop — soda
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. drill — the tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stock — goods
  21. rock — a stone
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — a law
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com